


The Lost Brother

by Wolvesowl



Series: White Dogs of the West [1]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Naruto
Genre: Backstory, Brothers, Kakashi is A Brat, Kakashi is a yokai, Pack Dynamics, Pack Family, Sakumo is Tōga’s Brother, Sakumo is a Yokai, Sesshoumaru is a Brat, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:40:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29948043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolvesowl/pseuds/Wolvesowl
Summary: Hatake Sakumo was not born a Hatake. He stumbled into the Hatake clan as a young man, and when they noted his uncanny resemblance to their clan characteristics they assumed him to be a bastard child of a long dead kin.Sakumo did little to correct this assumption.Hatake Sakumo was not born a Hatake. He was not even born of the Lands of Fire. No. Rather, he came from a land separated from the Ninja Continent by ancient magic. A land where ninja did not exist. A land where Yokai roamed free.Hatake Sakumo was not a Hatake. He claimed their name, and found kinship in their values and spirits, but he was never truly one of them, and they were never his true pack.But when Sakumo is cast aside, even after several human lifetimes of loyalty to the Shinobi clan, his true pack decides it has been enough.Hatake Sakumo is no Hatake.And the great Lord of the West is determined to reclaim his lost kin.
Relationships: Hatake Sakumo & Inu no Taishou
Series: White Dogs of the West [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2202555
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	The Lost Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How the future Lord of the West lost his brother.
> 
> Though fortunately for them both, the loss would not be a permanent one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT! So, brief explanation here before y’all read. In this AU, Sakumo never was part of Konoha. In fact, he joined the Hatake clan several generations before Konoha was even a thought. So timeline wise, this takes place during the Warring Clans Era of Naruto, long before Hashirama and Madara were born. It is also pre-Inuyasha timeline, so our favorite Hanyo hasn’t been born yet. And one last thing, a brief explanation as to the “magic” of this fic. I don’t believe the spiritual power used by the Yokai in Inuyasha was ever explicitly named, so in this verse it will be referred to as “youki”. The rest of the important details will be explained in the story itself, but that was was necessary background.

In the Lands of the West, in a small coastal grove of trees by the sea, an old, solitary shrine gate stood tall. The once bright red wood was faded and dull, and the great pillars were cracked and weathered. Yet, despite its decrepit state, the seals and marks carved into the gate looked as if they had been carved mere hours ago, rather than the centuries that were the reality. None knew of this shrine gate, for the small swathe of coast it stood in was the territory of one of the oldest and most powerful Inu clans, and though some Yokai might be foolish enough to trespass over the borders of the territory, none had ever made it deep enough to see the shrine.

Yes, no one knew of the shrine gate’s existence. No one, that is, but the Inu clan who held the territory.

Unfortunately, only two of that clan remained. Two brothers, both young and fierce. They stood before the gate now, and the younger brother had a small bag slung over his shoulder, his hands turning over a amulet that had been spelled by on old kitsune friend of their father’s. He was tall and broad in the shoulders, a long, fluffy length of fur wrapped around his neck and over his shoulder. He wore simple clothes, and his silver hair was held in a high ponytail. His eyes were a piercing, molten gold, and there were two harsh, jagged stripes of deep blue cutting over each of his cheeks.

His older brother stood beside him, a similar length of fur wrapped firmly over both shoulders and spilling down his back. He was not as broad shouldered as the younger Yokai, though he was taller. He wore traditional armor for his clan, and like his brother, his hair was tied up in a simple ponytail. His eyes were a darker gold, a subtle strip of magenta decorating his eyelids, and he had a single jagged blue stile on each cheek, though not as deep as those his brother bore.

“You do not have to do this, little brother.”

“Don’t I? They call you weak, Aniki. I know my own strength, but they believe I am too soft to be worth anything.Your insistence on keeping me at your side brings their derision. If I remain, they will continue to assume you are weak for needing to have a soft brother as your second, and you will never reach your goal.”

The elder shook his head, though he knew his brother had a point. “We could still find a way. You are Pack, otouto. I have no desire to lose you.”

“And you won’t, Aniki. I promise. This won’t be forever. Just a couple centuries. Long enough for you to establish your hold over the West, to reach the heights you need. You are powerful, brother. The most powerful Inu alive. You are so close to achieving the title of Inu no Taisho. If I remain, however, the Lords and Elders of the other Lands will never truly acknowledge your strength.”

The older brother stared at his younger sibling, and the younger could read the pain in his brother’s eyes. He smiled sadly, stepping towards his brother and tipping his chin up to lick the underside of his jaw. It was an intimate gesture for the canine yokai, one meant to soothe a sibling and pack mate.

“Tell everyone that you sent me away, that you needed me to be stronger. It won’t be a lie. I will be training and learning new techniques to better have your back when I return. Trust me, Aniki.”

The elder heaved a sigh, then nodded. He leaned down, briefly bumping jaws with his younger brother in a sign of affection. He leaned back up, then stepped back and firmed his gaze. The younger straightened at the look on his face, his own eyes hardening in determination.

“Then go, otouto. Go, and be safe.” he pulled his lips back, flashing sharp fangs as he grinned fiercely. “I will continue my quest here and bring order back to the West. Once I have taken the title of Lord and established my own Council, I will have you back.”

“Of course, Aniki. I would have it no other way.”

The older nodded, then paused before reaching into his armor and pulling out a stone. “Keep this on you or in your home.” he ordered. “I have the jewel’s twin. Father’s friend enchanted it for me like she did the necklace for you. It will allow me to peek into your life whenever I activate my jewel. It will grant me some comfort, if you do this for me.”

The younger blinked, then nodded and reached out to take the stone. “It will be so, brother.” he promised.

He stepped away, then, and lifted the amulet he held in his grip. His clasped it around his throat, and the gem of the amulet pulsed once before his appearance changed. His eyes shifted, turning a dark charcoal while his facial markings faded away completely. His fangs and claws dulled and disappeared, and the fur around his shoulders was gone in a blink. His ears rounded and shrunk, and in the next moment the barley perceptible aura of power around his form was gone. The Inu Yokai stood there, then, his power suppressed and contained, but not gone, and his appearance changed to that of a human.

The elder looked surprised for a moment, before nodding once. “Go.” he said simply. “But know that one day, I will have you back at my side.”

The younger only smiled faintly, then dipped his head and turned towards the shrine gate. He stepped towards the ancient structure, and let his power rise and pulse in a very specific pattern. The seals on the gate glowed, and as the younger brother stepped through the gate they pulsed once and then the younger Inu was gone.

The glow faded, then the seals went dark, and the elder brother was left staring at the now inactive shrine gate. He sighed, eyes closing before he took a deep breath and let his gaze harden. He would do as promised. He would take over the West, establish his hold, and become its new Lord. And when he was done, he would have his brother at his side again. He refused to let old, power-hungry Yokai dictate who he had in his Pack. He concentrated his power, his form condensed into a small ball of energy.

Mind set, Tōga flew up and away from the gate his brother had stepped through, and towards the old manor his family called home.

He had work to do.  
  


* * *

On the other side of the gate, the younger brother stepped out from under its twin in a land known as the Elemental Nations. He had learned about the gate and this world when he had read about the history of his clan’s territory in the manor’s library, in a book that was old and worn and had been tucked away in the vey back of an old shelf. When he had learned about the shrine gate and how to activate it, he had gone to test it himself, and had spent a few short days in these lands to explore the area around the shrine gate. Then he’d returned to his world, and had reported his findings to his brother. It was then he’d come to decide to leave, and allow his brother to complete his conquest without the whispers of his “soft” younger brother keeping him back.

He would learn and grow stronger here. This world had its own form of spiritual energy, similar to the powers the Yokai used but different all the same. If he could learn to manipulate his own youki in manners similar to the powers this world used, he would have techniques available to him that no others in his own world were capable of. And once he had learned all he could and grown strong enough, he would return. He would retake his place at brother’s side. Then, he’d be able to prove to every Yokai who had sneered at his “weakness” that despite his milder temperament and softer heart, he was by no means weak.

Mind set, he began to walk, picking a direction at random and setting off. He would wander and explore these lands. Perhaps he would take up the role of a wandering warrior. He knew that this world had two main types of warriors. The Samurai, who fought with their bodies and weapons and refused to use the world’s natural energy, and who served Lords and Nobles. There were also the Shinobi, who fought from the shadows, relying on stealth and speed, using physical combat and the natural energy, which they called chakra, to fight and accomplish their goals. The Shinobi, unlike the samurai, served their clans alone, though they followed the laws of the Daimyo who ruled their Land.

He refused to take up the mantle of a samurai, and as he belonged to no clan he could not see the possibility to become a Shinobi. Thus, he would have to become something in between. He would use his own spiritual energy, his youki, and learn all he could about chakra and the things one could do with it. He would spend a couple centuries wandering the lands, offering his services where available and growing stronger along the way.

So, he wandered. For days and nights, he simply walked in the direction he’d picked at the shrine gate, no particular goal or destination in mind. He did not need to stop every night, for as a pure blood Yokai he had no need to sleep every night or eat every day. He did stop occasionally to rest and hunt, but it was a rare thing. Continuing like that, the young Inu wandered for many weeks.

One day, however, his journey came to an end. He was near a mountain range when he sensed it. Approaching power signatures, meaning chakra users, coming in fast. Shinobi. The brother tilted his head up, and on the air he caught scent of blood, ozone, and canine. Definitely Shinobi. He stopped where he was, head tilted curiously. Had he accidentally wandered into the territory of a Shinobi clan? He would not be surprised. He would stay where he was, and see if he could clear it up when the patrol arrived.

A moment later, and he was surrounded by figures clad in dark leather armor. They had weapons draw and where poised to attack, and the brother tilted his head. He noticed one of them sniff the air, then inhale sharply and step forward. Ah, so this was the leader of the patrol. The man had his dark eyes narrowed at the Yokai, silver hair blowing in a passing breeze. Idly, the Inu noted that his human appearance bore a striking resemblance to this Shinobi clan.

“You smell of Hatake blood.” The Shinobi said. “You look it, too.”

That surprised the Inu. He had not expected any humans to have a sharp enough sense of smell to pick up on his scent. He knew he would smell of canine, he was a dog, after all. And he had a natural affinity for lighting and storms, so he was unsurprised if he smelled like the storms he so loved to run in. He supposed it would make sense, given his abilities and heritage, for him to smell vaguely like this human clan if what he scented off these Shinobi was any indication.

“Ah.” he tilted his head. “Is that a problem?”

The Shinobi arched a brow. “No. It should not be. Given that you are unfamiliar, and the Hatake know all in our clan, you might be a bastard.”The man said bluntly.

The Inu could smell the surprise from the Shinobi around him, but they gave no indication of it. He smiled faintly, tilting his head. Ah, so that was the conclusion that was drawn here. Interesting. He would not disprove it. It could prove useful in his goals. As a Shinobi clan, these Hatake would have records of chakra techniques. It would be easier for him to grow stronger and more powerful if he had easy access to the information he needed. Besides, living among Shinobi would give him better opportunity to ensure his combat prowess grew as well. He could use this to his advantage.

“I would not know. My mother was a farmer’s daughter.” he lied smoothly. “She always told me my father died protecting her when I was but an infant. I never even knew his name.”

The Shinobi narrowed his eyes, then nodded. “I am Takeru. You will return with us to the clan compound. Perhaps we will be able to discover the identity of your father. Perhaps not. Either way, we will be able to confirm your heritage. If you truly are Hatake, then you will be allowed to live with the clan, bastard child or no. We Hatake do not allow pack be alone.”

The younger brother blinked, before he found an easy grin stretching across his features. Had he still had his fangs, the display would doubtless be significantly more intimidating. As it was, it now simply looked friendly.

“That would be nice. It was not in my plans. I did not even now I had wandered into your territory. But I will not decline the chance at a family.” he agreed.

Takeru nodded, then made a gesture and the other Shinobi relaxed. “Then come.” he said simply. “But first, I would like to know the name of my possible kinsman.”

The Inu blinked, then chuckled, the sound rumbling from the depths of his chest. His eyes sparkled with good humor, and he found himself inexplicably amused by the situation. He folded his arms into the sleeves of loose travel clothes, posture straightening.

“Of course, Takeru-san. It would only be polite, no?” He bowed his head shortly, then lifted his gaze to look the human in the eye.

He had no last name, as family names were not a very common practice among demons. He had a title, but it was not what one would consider an actual name. And given the backstory he’d made up, it would make sense if he had no family or clan name to claim for his own, so he had nothing to worry about in that regard. In fact, having no last name would likely only work in his favor if he wanted to play into the bastard Hatake idea. In the end, it meant he had only his own name to give to the human.

“I am Sakumo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did y’all think? I hope you liked it. For those of you who have read my other story, The Wolf in Hero’s Clothing, don’t worry. I’m not dropping that. I just recently started watching Inuyasha and got into the series. I also noticed a very uncanny resemblance between Inu no Taisho and Sakumo, hence the birth of this story. I have the next chapter of TWIHC planned and outlined, and I’m starting it as this is being posted.  
> As for this fic, I plan on writing this one as maybe a two shot, then making the rest a series to explore Sakumo and Kakashi’s lives once they’ve been returned to their rightful home. So let me know what y’all think, so I can figure out if there’s even any interest in a story like this. Until next time!


End file.
